1224 First Book of Machabees
the son of Jason, ambassadors of the Jews, came
to us to renew the former friendship with us.
23 And it pleased the people to receive the
men honourably, and to put a copy of their words
in the public records, to be a memorial to the
people of the Spartans. And we have written a
copy of them to Simon, the high priest.
24 And after this Simon sent Numenius to
Rome, with a great shield of gold, of the weight
of a thousand pounds, to confirm the league with
them. And when the people of Rome had heard
25 These words, they said: What thanks shall
we give to Simon, and his sons:
26 For he hath restored his brethren, and hath
driven away in fight the enemies of Israel from
them: and they decreed him liberty, and regis-
tered it in tables of brass, and set it upon pillars
in mount Sion.
27 And this is a copy of the writing. The
eighteenth day of the month Elul, in the year
one hundred and seventy-two, being the third
year under Simon, the high priest, at Asaramel,
28 In a great assembly of the priests, and of
the people, and the princes of the nation, and the
ancients of the country, these things were noti-
fied: Forasmuch as there have often been wars
in our country,
29 And Simon, the son of Mathathias, of the
children of Jarib, and his brethren, have put
themselves in danger, and resisted the enemies
of their nation, for the maintenance of their holy
places, and the law: and have raised their nation
to great glory.
30 And Jonathan gathered together his na-
tion, and was made their high priest, and he was
laid to his people.
31 And their enemies desired to tread down
and destroy their country, and to stretch forth
their hands against their holy places.
32 Then Simon resisted and fought for his na-
tion, and laid out much of his money, and armed
the valiant men of his nation, and gave them
wages.
33 And he fortified the cities of Judea and
Bethsura that lieth in the borders of Judea,
where the armour of the enemies was before: and
he placed there a garrison of Jews.
34 And he fortified Joppe, which lieth by the
sea: and Gazara, which bordereth upon Azotus,
wherein the enemies dwelt before, and he placed
Jews here: and furnished them with all things
convenient for their reparation.
35 And the people seeing the acts of Simon,
and to what glory he meant to bring his nation,
made him their prince and high priest, because
he had done all these things, and for the jus-
tice and faith which he kept to his nation, and
for that he sought by all means to advance his
people.
36 And in his days things prospered in his
hands, so that the heathens were taken away out
of their country, and they also that were in the
city of David, in Jerusalem, in the castle, out of
which they issued forth, and profaned all places
round about the sanctuary, and did much evil to
purity.
37 And he placed therein Jews for the defence
of the country, and of the city, and he raised up
the walls of Jerusalem.
38 And king Demetrius confirmed him in the
high priesthood.
39 According to these things he made him his
friend, and glorified him with great glory.
40 For he had heard that the Romans had
called the Jews their friends, and confederates,
and brethren, and that they had received Si-
mon’s ambassadors with honour:
41 And that the Jews, and their priests, had
consented that he should be their prince and
high priest for ever, till there should arise a faith-